He Will Rise
by Angharad-Emrys-Potter-W7
Summary: Arthur rises again in early January, 2013, but all seems fine. But why would Arthur rise when all is well? As the pair struggle to piece together the pieces, they discover that they're too late to turn back. Merlin forgets one important rule: History repeats itself. Rated T for possible future violence and torture. Will probably develop a romance later.
1. Prologue

Prologue: The King Is Dead

...Some time in the 6th century...

The Battle of Camlann had ended two days ago and the war against Morgana had been won, leaving Camelot standing victorious. The Knights of the Round Table searched for survivors, and, more importantly, their king. The queen had sent knights to search for her husband, but they would search fruitlessly for someone they would never find. It was pure chaos; thousands of people lay dead, dying and unburied. Some survivors would be forever scarred: both physically and mentally.

...A few miles from Camelot...

A young man with a shock of jet black hair and pained blue eyes sat on the wet ground near the Lake of Avalon, clutching his beloved king and best friend to his chest. He cried unrestrained tears of deep sadness and heartbroken cries of pain that carried across the land. Somehow adding to all the misery and unhappiness that now clung to the Earth itself; like how red wine stains on a white carpet or blood stains on a white shirt that cannot be removed no matter how many times one tries to clean it. Merging with the surroundings, permanently etched into the fabric of the world.

"Merlin" gasped the king in a weak, dying voice. " I want to say.. something to you..thatI have never said..to you before."

"What is it, Arthur?" whispered merlin through his tears; th king looked into Merlin's eyes for what would be the last time.

"Thank you." said Arthur, just as his eyes closed, the light in them slowly failing, as if he were merely falling asleep. His body immediatly went from tense to limp. His body remained, but his spirit had gone. Looking into Arthur's peacefulface, at rest in death, Merlin couldn't restrain himself. He let out a heartbreaking howl of loss and pain, before choking off into a relentless stream of tears.

...Back in Camelot...

The news of King Arthur's death had reached Queen Gwen and the knights. Sir Leon stepped forward toward the massive crowd that had gathered, and spoke in a resigned voice; "The king is dead." He paused "Long live the Queen!" The crowd repeated the words many times, the sound ringing in the air.


	2. More Than A Thousand Years Later

More Than a Thousand Years Later

Wednesday, 2nd January, 2013. Time: 3.00am.

Merlin was asleep in his two storey house and was having what appeared to be dreams. He hadn't had the dreams in years, those had stopped a few months after Arthur's death, and perhaps it was because his magic had deserted him at the same time. But he was immortal and nothing could change that, all but one thing: the return of Arthur.  
Five minutes passed in eerie silence until Merlin bolted upright in his bed, screaming. When he did, several things happened at once; the glass of water on his bedside table shattered into at least one hundred pieces, spilling the water. The very foundations of the house trembled as if recieving an earthquake, and the curtains were blowing rapidly as if in a strong wind. merlin stared around his room, heart pounding in his chest.  
For the first time in a long time, Merlin felt truly, tantalisingly alive as if the meaning of his extended existence had returned. Curiosity won out and Merlin stretched his arm out toward the broken glass, muttered a few ancient words of the old religion, and, amazingly, felt a tingle in his arm as the glass repaired itself.


	3. A Foretold Return

A Foretold Return

Merlin sat in comfortable silence and eventually decided that he woruld not be able to go back to sleep no matter what, mainly due to the fact that the tingling sensation was now rushing through his body.  
Merlin got up, however, he was a little rushed as he tripped as soon as he stood. But this didn't bother him; he hadn't felt so good in a long time. he got dressed in a navy blue button-down shirt, light grey jacket and brown trousers, not forgetting to sling his red necktie around his throat. His original necktie had soon broken into dust, as it had been worn ever day for a good hundred years, so he bought himself a new one. After Merlin was dressed he practically bounced down the polished hardwood stairs. In excitement, Merlin grabbed the remote for his television and turned it on. There was some guy talking but he didn't pay attention to it. He hunted for his coffee mug and made himself a steaming cup of coffee. Merlin liked turning the television on even if he wasn't watching it. It made him feel less alone.

Merlin wondered for the first time that morning how his day could get any better. He knew what could, but was quite unwilling to voice it aloud. Merlin didn't usually get up this early in the morning and make coffee, but there was something different about this one. There was a feel of electricity in the air, a great sense of anticipation. It made him feel giddy.

By the time the clock struck 4.00am, Merlin's newly awakened senses kicked in, telling him it was time, he had to move, that he must get to the lake as fast as his leg would take him. Ten minutes was all it took to run from his house to stand in front of the Isle of Avalon, now known as Glastonbury Tor.

He stood, staring intently at the waters.

'What was he thinking?' Merlin thought to himself. So many times he was sure, certain that Arthur would come, he would rise again. What with all the wars that had happened, so much bloodshed, it scared him to think that something worse was on the way. But all those times he had been certain, he'd ran down to the lake and waiting for hours on end, hoping, but it had been a vain hope. What was to say that this time would be different? That he wasn't going to have to turn around, disappointed, and walk dejectedly back to his house, tears in his eyes?

Merlin didn't know what he'd do id Arthur didn't come ths time. He tried desperately not to think about it, but the thought came, unbidden, anyway: 'he's not coming'.

However, for some unknown, unshakable reason, he couldn't bring himself to turn away rom the lake now. Something inside Merlin kept him firmly planted to where he stood, wouldn't allow him to move. At the same time part of him hoped but another part no longer believed. So it was with a turmoil of emotions that kept Merlin from moving even an inch as he continued to stare at the shimmering waters, waiting.

Merlin somehow found himself sitting underneath and ancient moss-covered pine tree that stood tall and proud next to the lake, almost asleep. His eyelids threatened to drop closed every five seconds. He fought stubbornly against his heavy eyelids and won, though his victory was to be short-lived. Ten minutes later, his eyes dropped of their own accord. And this was the moment that Arthur chose to arrive.

The lake, once still, was now rippling slightly as if it were experincing an earth trmor, as if it had nerves that were highly strung. Finally a hand came out smoothly, rising swiftly out of the water. The pale skin of the hand held a magnicficent ruby hilted sword, which bore engraved words on both sides of the blade. On one side it read 'Excabilur' and on the other an engraved inscription_; There will always be a sunrise. _Immediately after the sword, a blonde head broke the surface of the water. There was a sound of splashing caused by flailing limbs and the sound of gasping as someone desperately sucked in air, as if they had been holding their breath for a long time. It was Arthur, the once and future King. He had finally returned.

Arthur looked around cautiously with bright blue eyes; he glanced at the Isle of Avalon and knew this wasthe place where he had 'died'. he looked around as the sun started to rise up out of the darkness, it was like watching the very first sunrise. The light it shared was bright and dazzling; perhaps a sign for the future, as it lit up and chased the shadows away. It was at this point that Arthur saw him: there was his best friend, Merlin, slumped against a tree.

Arthur sheathed his sword and sloshed through the ther to get to dry land, and more importantly: to Merlin. He slowly approached his sleeping friend and when he was an arms length away, Arthur knelt down next to him. Arthur watched Merlin dream for a short while, marvelling at his once servant's familiar face. But there was something different about him, however. That was when Arthur noticed the odd clothes that Merlin wore. He thought they looked rather strange, so he promised himself that he would ask Merlin about that once he woke up.

Arthur sat resting against the tree, next to Merlin. He turned to see his friend when he noticed him scrunch up his face in reaction to something he was seeing in his mind. He made a decision and pulled Merlin into his lap; Merlins head rested on his chest. Merlin was more than a friend to him, closer than any brother. He remebered that Merlin had magic and instantly stiffened, a reaction inherited from old prejudice passed down from his father, before relaxing and telling himself not to be so stupid. Merlin could not help it, after all. if anything Merlin had saved Arthur's and countless other men's lives many times and never took the credit.

Arthur remembered seeing the inexplicable pain and anguish and fear in Merlin's eyes before he had closed his own all those..how many years had it been? He would ask Merlin that, as well.

Arthur smiled sadley and whispered in Merlin's ear, "I'm here now, Merlin. You don't have to wait any more. I'm here."


	4. What Are These Things?

What Are These Things?

Merlin slowly opened his eyes, struggling against the fog of sleep. Where was he? He vaguely recalled running down to the lake very early in the morning, then falling asleep leaning against a tree. And his magic had returned.  
He seemed to be sitting bolt upright. He expected his limbs to be stiff and achy, but they were surprisingly warm and relaxed. This was the weird part. He was undeniably comfortable.

Merlin stretched out his limbbs and tried to concentrate on feeling his surroundings, in an attempt to solve his mystery. Under his head, he felt not the rough bark of a tree as expected, but what felt like a hard pillow wrapped in metal, or...a chest wrapped in chainmail. The two things that were wrapped around his body felt not like branches, but arms.

It was at this point that Merlin realised that he was sitting in someone's lap, and not that long ago, sleeping in the said someone's lap. He tried to remember how this happened, but came up completely blank. Maybe this was another dream? He lifted his arm to scratch his head in confusion, but his train of thought was rudely interruted by a rather sarcastic, pompous voice.

"About time, Merlin. I thought you were never going to wake up."

Merlin froze, hardly daring to breathe. He knew that voice! He'd listened to it insult him and joke with him in the time that Camelot existed. The last time he'd heard that voice was when the person it had belonged to was dying. But it was unmistakably his voice! Merlin mentally shook himself, and removing himself from the person's lap he found himself looking into the eyes of Arthur Pendragon.

The once and future king looked back at Merlin with a slightly amused expression. Merlin couldn't believe his eyes. Was this a trick? Was Arthur about to vanish in a puff of smoke, leaving Merlin's life cruelly empty once more? As if to confirm that this wasn't a dream or illusion of some kind, Merlin reached out and rested his hand on Arthur's chest, and it met solid flesh underneath the cold chainmail, and found the steady _thump thump thump_ of a very much alive, beating heart.

Merlin couldn't contain himself. He was suddenly so happy, so full of life and hope and joy that he was practically bouncing in his seat. it was like all his wishes and dreams had come true. Well, technically they had, but who needs details? The day he'd been hoping for had finally arrived.

"Oh, my God, Arthur! Is it really you?" Merlin was smiling so wide he felt his face was about to split. "Have you any idea how long I've been waiting for you to come?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "No, you blithering idiot, it's just a person pretending to be Arthur" the king said sarcastically. That was the insult Merlin had been waiting for! Arthur's face cracked into a lopsided grin as he said, "Besides, don't you recognise your king?"  
His king...

"My best friend" Merlin whispered. Arthur nodded, all traces of amusement gone. He reached out and clapped Merlin into a huge hug.

"Merlin, I can't thank you enough. You've waited for me. I've only said these words once before to you, but..thank you" Arthur said thickly against Merlin's shoulder. Merlin fought back tears as he remembered that fateful day. He was so happy that the first person he saw when he woke up was Arthur.

"Never mind that, though! I just can't believe you're here!" he burst.

Arthur laughed at the obvious joy on Merlin's face. It was extremely contagious. Arthur dragged a hand across his eyes while Merlin grinned gleefully at him. The pair sat in silence for a full two minutes, just enjoying the company. Then Arthur asked the questions he wanted answers to.

"Say, Merlin, what the heck are you wearing, anyway?" he pointed. Merlin looked down in surprise.

"Oh! Well, these are jeans. They're a heavier, warmer fabric than what we used back then, and this is a hooded jacket, or what they call a hoodie. It's basically a short cloak with sleeves and pockets. And this is a shirt, we don't wear tunics any ore. And these are trainers. Boots are no longer worn on men, only if they are going horse riding or walking through mud" he explained. A look of concentration had settled on Arthur's face as he struggled to take it all in.

"Ok. My next question is-" he hesitated. Did he really want to know the answer? Merlin waved a hand, prompting him to go on. "How long have I been...gone?" For some reason he couldn't bring himself to say 'dead'.

"Umm...well, this may come a shock to you." Arthur merely huffed in exasperation.

"Merlin, I've been dead for God knows how long. I don't think I can get any more shocked. How long?"

"All right. Arthur...you've been de-gone for over a thousand years. We were around the sixth century. It is now the twenty-first" Merlin answered quietly. Arthur just stared at him, astounded.

"What? But you should be dead too, surely?!"

Merlin considered this. "Well, as I'm clearly alive, I think I'm immortal. However, now you've returned, I think I'll be able to age again" he finally responded.

After fifteen mnutes of relentless questions, Merlin suggested taking Arthur home with him.

"What do you mean, home? We live in a castle, in Camelot!" Arthur said, clearly confused.

"I'm truly sorry, Arthur, but Camelot doesn't exist any more. There is now only a few crumbling walls and an empty pasture where our home once stood." Merlin winced. He wasn't going to lie to huis king nor his friend, no matter how much the truth hurt.

"Oh..so I suppose there's no home for our friends then? Leon, Percival, Gwaine? Gwen?" Arthur asked, even though he knew the answer.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur, but they've gone too. I'm the only remainder of Camelot..and now you" Merlin amended.

They continued walking up the road in silence, with just the occasional question.

"So, Merlin, which one belongs to you?" asked Arthur, breaking the silence. The houses looked a lot like small castles in Arthur's opinion, a million miles away from the cramped mud huts of his time. After Merlin readily described the differences, it made sense, to have houses that reflected the modern era. Arthur had also asked about 'this hard black stuff' that covered the ground, which merlin described as roads that were quite similar to the dirt trails they had back in their day. He had also explained about cars, as Arthur had lept away from road when one had passed, and he stopped and stared at it as if it were a crazed, deranged animal.

"My house is the red brick one, between the white and grey one" Merlin replied, pointing. There was a small pond with an angel fountain, a tree and a small flower bed underneath the window, which held a window box bursting with colour.

"It looks nice" Arthur replied lamely as he and Merlin walked up the cobblestone path to the front door. Merlin fiddled with a key in the lock and ushered Arthur inside, keen to escape the curious stares of strangers that Arthur's clothes attracted.

Inside the house, Merlin was bombarded with yet more questions, concerning all the things Arthur was unfamiliar with. Arthur wante to try some of thee things out, attempting to dismantle the clock, climb into the freezer and in the end Merlin had to chase Arthur away from the Stove (which Arthur proclaimed as 'magic!' which made Merlin smile) after he tried to cook five batteries and a glass plate to 'see what would happen'. Arthur got annoyed, saying "I'm the king of Camelot, you can't order me around like that" to which Merlin had to explain that if he tried to do this, they would blow up, taking the whole house with it. It was quite exhausting, having to constantly lead Arthur away fom dangerous things. In the end, he seated Arthur on the cream leather sofa in the lounge, and went and made two cups of coffee.

He returned to find Arthur examining the remote control with a great interest. Merlin placed the mugs on the mahogany coffee table in the middle of the room. Arthur immediately grabbed a cup and eagerly gulped the boiling liquid down, first trapping it in his cheeks so he looked like a rather odd hamster. He swallowed it with obvious disgust, pulling a horrendous face and put the cup gingerly on the table. Arthur was never Mr. Subtle.

"Good God, Merlin, what is that vile stuff?" Merlin suppressed a smile. Honestly, it was like teaching a child.

"That's coffee, Arthur. Not everyone likes it, but I do," He raised the cup, as if to confirm what he'd just said, and took a huge gulp before placing it on the table next to Arthur's mug. He reached for the remote and turned on the television, a habit inherited from years of being alone.

Arthur yelped and jumped as the image of a talking man appeared on the screen. To his horror, the person continued to talk. Arthur took out his sword and advanced on the television.

"Merlin, what in God's name is that?" Merlin lept up, too, and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, seeing the inevitable danger.

"Arthur, it's fine. Do you honestly think I'd set something dangerous on you? It's just a televison, where the image of something is projected onto the screen, for people's entertainment. We don't do swordfighting or jousting any more, you know." Looking into Merlin's kind blue eyes, Arthur was immediately placated. He put his sword away. Merlin's patient manner disarmed him. He was used to being the smart one, telling Merlin everything. Now the roles had been reversed.

Merlin, as if seeing Arthur for the first time, glanced at his outfit.

"Arthur, I think we should get you into something more millenium appropriate, yes?" Arthur's brow wrinkled. He had so much to learn. Spreading his arms, he replied, "But I like this."

"Yes, I'm sure you do, but people will stare if we go outside, and quite frankly I don't fancy hiding out for the rest of my life in my house because the king doesn't want to wear normal things." Arthur huffed and grumbled but followed Merlin as he beckoned to Arthur to follow him out of the room and up the stairs. Arthur looked at the paintings and tapestries that decorated the walls. With a funny jolt, he recognized them to be things from his castle.

"Merlin, how did you get hold of these?"

"I rescued them from the castle after it was abandoned and got a warlock to eternally preserve them with magic. I've offered a lot of money for them by historians, because they knew they were fantastic artefacts, but I refused." Arthur briefly wondered why Merlin needed another sorcerer to perform magic for him, when he was one himself. Instead, he asked, "Why did you refuse?"

Merlin's eyes suddenly had a distinct, watery sheen to them. Arthur looked away, embaressed. However, when Merlin spoke his voice was quite steady.

"They're my only reminder of home" he replied softly. They continued up the stairs and Merlin walked into the room on the left of the staircase, the one with the door open, flicking on the light. It was small but comfy, with a single bed pushed up against the wall, a handsome oak wardrobe and spindle legged table holding a variety of delicate, fragile looking objects. Arthur had a sudden memory of a gangly servant and Arthur standing in his chambers. He was speaking sarcastically, as usual.

_Merlin, you see this? It's a cupboard. You put things inside it._

Merlin walked over to his wardrobe and began to rummage through his clothes when the room went momentarily dark, then light, then dark again. He poked his head out of the wardrobe and saw Arthur frowning at the lightswitch, pressing the button on and off. He grinned and walked over.

"Hey, hey, stop that. You'll blow the circuits."

"Blow the..what?"

"Circuits. Basically, big bad thing will happen and our only source of light will be from the windows." Arthur nodded mutely, still glaring at the light switch as if it had done wrong to him. Merlin shook his hea, smiling, and walked back over to his wardrobe, while Arthur leaned against the wall, deep in thought. Merlin took out a pair of dark brown jeans, white button shirt and a red jacket. He wanted the king to stay as close to his usual dress sense as possible. Merlin layed out the clothes on the bed.

"Here you go."

"Why are still acting like a servant?" Arthur couldn't help asking. He rememberd asking the question yester-no, over a thousand years ago. It was odd, putting it like that. Merlin smiled, remembering too.

"It's still my destiny to serve you Arthur." He paused, smiling even more widely. "Why would I change now?"

"I don't want you to change. I want you to always..be you." Arthur quoted, playing along. Merlin rolled his eyes and left Arthur in his rrom. He walked down the stairs, grinning from ear to ear. Arthur was here! He was alive! He could hear him walking around in his room, the floorboards creaking, a real living Arthur there. But a quiet niggling, nagging doubt in the back of his head. Arthur would only rise when Camelot was in true need of help. He pushed this thought away, he would worry about that later...

Merlin sighed and opened his lounge door. When he realised the television was still on, he turned it off. He didn't need it any more. He would never be lonely again.

He still couldn't get his head around it. After centuries of being lost, alone, no friends...now, the day that his magic returned, should his best friend too.

Merlin was shaken out of his reverie as the heard the clomp of Arthur walking down the stairs. Arthur enterd the doorway, sticking his arms out at odd angles. Merlin was surprised. He really did look odd, out of his medieval attire.

"Look at me! I feel like a complete idiot." He revolved slowly. Catching sight of himslef in the mirror, he laughed, the jovial sound filling the room.

"Not as idiotic as you would have looked in your chainmail" Merlin replied, also smiling. He'd smiled more today than he had in one thousand years. Though it hadn't too odd to him, as that's what he was used to Arthur wearing, but a suit of chainmail and a sword would have seemed extremely strange to an outsider, not to mention dangerous.

He gestured to Arthur to sit down again, taking place in the armchair to the left of the sofa, nursing his cooling coffee mug. As he took a sip, he had a sudden idea.

"Hey, Arthur, how would you lik to hear some of our history?" he asked over his cup, expression slightly amused.

"What do you mean, our history? Honestly, Merlin, anyone would think you'd been dead for one thousand years, I know our history, I've lived it, remember?" He was happy he finally got to tell Merlin something. However, Merlin merely smiled at him.

"I meant the way that people after our time wrote it. It's been embellished so much that there's almost no ring of truth to it. However, they got a few of the ground facts right. I think you'll find it rather amusing."


	5. Our History

Merlin and Arthur entered Merlin's library, which was next to his bedroom.

"Woah..got enough books, Merlin?" Arthur asked, widening his eyes slightly.

All four walls of the library were lined with shelves. There were oak shelves, plain glass shelves, abstractly shaped shelves, low shelves stacked onto one another to form rickety, teetering piles. The only visible wall was about three inches above the shelves, otherwise the wall may have just been solid bookshelf.

Even the floor was littered with books, obstructing any visible paths. Stacks in each corner, spilling out of boxes, scattered open over the floor, some pages marked for reference. Arthur picked up the one nearest to him; it was written in a language that he vaguey recognised as Welsh. He knew the tongue because his father occasionally spoke in it.

Merlin smiled at him and replied; "Yes, well, I was very lonely, so I figured books might help. The reading range they have now! I've got loads of books on the supernatural, Harry Potter, Lord Of the Rings, Twilight, though I wouldn't recommend the latter, that series is a bit rubbish. I have some on mythology, history, all sorts! I've got lots on our legends-"

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur cut him off. At Merlin's wounded expressions, he carried on, "It's fine. You were babbling though. Don't look at me like that! It's true. But it's ok, it feels nice, homely" Arthur explained. This planet was so alien and different to the world he knew. The strange smoky fug that hung in the air, the distant roar of the metal beast dubbed as cars, a thousand miles, or rather years, from his town of Camelot. It was hard to belive that where he was now was once the modest towns surrounding his home.

"Sorry. It's just I haven't had company in so long. You have no iea what that felt like," Merlin told him. He turned and walked over to the fifth bookcase from the door, still slightly cheesed off. He picked up a book off the shelf, entitled 'Discovering King Arthur' by Beryl Beare. He opened it up to page seventeen, where the characters of the legends were listed.

"Here, Arthur." Merlin pointed. Arthur followed his outstretched finger. Taking the book in his hands, he began to read.

"Hey, you're in here, Merlin!" He read the passage, mouhing the words with his lips. Merlin read it aloud.

"Magician and prophet who became Arthur's counseller. He was thought to be the offspring of an incubus (evil spirit) and a human mother. He made many prophecies, including the discovery of the dragons beneath Vortigern's tower, and brought the 'Giant's Dance'-Stonehenge-from Ireland. He took Arthur from King Uther at birth and gave him into the care of Sir Ector. He finally succumbed to the charms of Nimue, the maiden of the lake, revealing to her the secrets ofhis magic, which she then used to imprison him in a cave. He stopped reading, looking up at Arthur, who was staring at him. "You know, I'm learning an awful lot about myself that I never even knew" Merlin said dryly.

"Is it rue?" Arthur aked, appalled. "Are you the spawn of an incubus?"

"No. No! Of course not. My father was a wonderful man."

Arthur continued to read. He made a noise of loathing and contempt when he saw Mordred's name in the cast. He read it.

"Hey! It says tat he was my nephew and son! That's a dirty lie!" he said loudly, inensed. "And who the heck is Margawse anyway?!"

"Margawse was Morgana's half sister. Don't you remeer? There's Morgana," Merlin said, pointing at the name, 'Morgan le Fay'. Arthur snorted as he read about her.

"Good at euphemisms, aren't they? 'Tried to kill several times, using magic'. Yeah, me and many others!" He was getting more and more angrier. Merlin was beginning to wish that he'd never shown Arthur the book. He was about to close it when Arthur saw the name 'Uther Pendragon'. "Wait, I just want to read what lies they've cooked up about my father."

Merlin felt Arthur go still next to him. "What is it, Arthur? What's wrong?" Merlin gabbled, fearful. Silence of the king was never a good thing. When Arthur spoke, Merlin was alarmed to hear that it was in a shaky voice.

"This woman..Igraine of Cornwall..was she my mother?" Merlin felt a rush of sympathy towards Arthur.

"We honestly have no way of knowing" Merlin replied softly. "Uther never spoke of her, remember?" Arthur took a deep breath. Eve though he was prepared for this, it was still a blow. He snapped the book shut and carefully placed it back o the shelf.

"They believe that you're a Roman centurion, you know. Because the legends apparantly originated from the Celts" Merlin informed him.

"A..what are you on about?"

"Oh, sorry...in Italy, a place far off, there was an empire called Rome, and their soldiers, Roman centurions, conquered Britain for a time. They believe that you were one. Of course, we know better" Merlin explained.

"Guinevere cheated on me with Lancelot...well, that's true" Arthur muttered.

"That was an enchantment, Arthur" Merlin said patiently.

"I know. And I never sentenced her to burn. They make me sound like a tyrant." Arthur said, disgusted.

Over the next two hours, Merlin and Arthur sat poring over the books, occasionally reading a passage or laughing aloud at the ignorance of the people. "Hey, listen to this, Merlin. They reckon that Mordred di stab me but Morghana took pity on me and took me to Avalon. Wrong, wrong, wrong. He met me near Avalon, but attempted to kill me!"

"I know" Merlin grimced. "Seems that I'm never destined to get the credit for anything I've really done!"

When the grandfather clock that stood tall and proud in the hallway, Merlin was surprised. Had time really flown that quickly?

"is it that time already?" he asked rhetorically, shocked. "What do you want for your-" his voice went up an octave and he widened his eyes, messing around. "-first meal, Arthur?"

The king pondered this. "Pheasant with gravy and vegetables and swede, with fruit, wine and apple pie for dessert." He smiled in that Arthur way that Merlin had endured and clapped him on the back. Merlin tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

"Arthur, I said a meal, not a banquet. Besides, that would take me hours." But at Arthur's disappointed expression, he said; "But I'll see what I can rustle up."

Arthur grinned at him even more widely.

"Sounds good, Merlin!"


	6. Memories

After an exhausting time trying to cook dinner, which was slowed down considerably due to Arthur insisting on helping with everything and Merlin having to supervise his every move, the pair entered Merlin's dining room. It was medium sized, with a long, dark wood table in front of an unlit fireplace. A candlebra with fake candles in swung from the ceiling and more paintings adorned the walls, some of which Arthur did not recognise.

When Merlin realised there was only one chair at the table, which was now occupied by Arthur, he put his plate on the table.  
"I just need to go and get another chair from upstairs. Be back in a second. You start without me." At Arthur's quizzical expression, Merlin asked, "What?"  
"You're a sorcerer, right? Why can't you just magic one from upstairs?" Arthur made out that he was saying this like he was thinking for the easiest thing for Merlin, but if truth be told, he secretly just wanted to see Merlin do some more magic. It still didn't quite add up. This ridiculous, clumsy, gangly servant was supposedly the greatest sorcerer to walk the Earth.

Merlin remembered, with a happy little stomach leap, that he did, indeed, have magic once more. "Sorry. Just habit" he answered. Arthur wondered, again, why it was habit that Merlin didn't use his powers. He'd noticed that Merlin chose to do manual work instead of simply using sorcery when they were makin dinner. Instead of keeping this thought to himself, he asked, "Habit? Why?"

Merlin hesitated. "I'll show you later," he said, wondering how he could put this into words.  
Reaching his arm towards the door, palm facing outwards, he whispered; "_Salza terrhous seiy_". Arthur watched Merlin's face carefully as he performed this spell, and noticed a subtle difference in merlin. It wasn't his expression, nor his stance, and he wasn't glowing bright pink. It was a less definate change, and a brief one. What was it?

The door swung open. Arthur couldn't believe his eyes. He half expected someone to come strolling through the door, it had opened so effortlessly. Merlin sucked in another deep breath, rooting for all his power. Even though the charm was a simple one, would his magic have been weakened by misuse? Could he summon enough power to bring the chair down to him? He didn't like doubting his abilities. It made him feel so..vunerable.

Arthur studied Merlin's fce again as he muttered the next charm. Merlin opened his eyes as he steadied himself. When he spoke, it was in a hoarse, hushed voice, quite deep and scary, quite different to his normal voice that Arthur was used to.  
_"Anall nathrach, oorthus befud"_  
Arthur noticed, with a jolt, that Merlin's eyes swirled from cobalt blue to molten topaz. Colour changing eyes, check, powers hidden for years, check, what next? Arthur thought. Unicorn in the cupboard? When was he going to break out some spangly robes?

Arthur's ears strained to hear any sound of the chair crashing down the stairs.

Instead, the chair flew smoothly into the romm, gliding like a swan slipping through water. This moment of grace was somewhat ruined by Merlin, who, in an attempt to catch it, managed to get himself to the floor by the chair. Arthuir snickered.

"Really, Merlin, you just don't change, do you?" he chortled. Merlin just picked himself up off the floor and snatched the chair out of thin air where it was swinging merrily and put it on the floor with unnecessary force. It scraped along the floor, wood on wood, and Arthur could swear it was laughing, Merlin threw himself down and glared at his food like it had done him some wrong. Arthur looked at him, startled. He'd never seen Merlin in a temper before.

"Hey, Merlin, I was just joking"

Merlin looked up, grinning. "I knew that, I was just seeing if you were sorry"

Arthur grit his teeth. Merlin always managed to trick him. Scowling at his friend's obviously amused face, which made him grin more, Arthur had to fight to not return the smile. Merlin's beam was just so darn infectious to the brink of annoying. He moved into the table. They (well, Merlin had made and Arthur had got in the way) made roast chicken, which was a bit like pheasant just smaller, parsnips, swede, something called roast potatoes, which were a chopped up brown-ish vegetable, and gravy. There was the apple pie warming under the grill, the first time Arthur had made something half edible (He still thought it looked as if someone had sat on it). Well, apart from the time he'd tried to cook for Gwen-  
_Stop right there, _he ordered himself. Shaking his head like a dog trying to rid its ears of water, he picked up his cutlery.

The two friends ate in companiable silence, the quiet only punctuated by the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. Merlin realized how nice it was to be actually eating _with_ Arthur, not merely spectating. It made him feel as if they were closer friends. He was less servant. It was odd, but in a comforting way. He didn't realise that through Arthur's death they would be bound tighter.

Arthur finished his meal in ten minutes flat, pushing his plate away with a satisfied sigh. Merlin twitched his eyebrows, the beginnings of a smile on his lips.

"Honestly, Arthur, anyone would think you hadn't eaten in a thousand years!" he chuckled. He finished his food soon after and rose from his chair. He reached to take the plates. rthur smiled up at him, and it was a genuine smile, not the sarcastic one he usually bestowed upon Merlin.

"Thanks, Merlin."

Merlin nodded back and walked out. Arthur watched his retreating back. He still hadn't asked about Guinevere. Did she re-marry? Did he want to know? And what about his friends? Was Camelot restored to order again after the reign of terror Morgana inflicted? He vaguely recalled Merlin stabbing Morgana by the lake, but he was too out of it to remember clearly.

Merlin called from the kitchen.

"Arthur, are you too full for dessert? I am."

"Yes, I am, Merlin, thanks, we'll have it later" Arthur told him. He never really raised his voice, not believing in it. He more projected it, so it carried further.

Merlin entered the dining room again, to find Arthur deep in thought.

"Penny for them?" he said, smiling, his arms crossed and leaning against the doorway. At first he was a bit worried at leaving Arthur alone, afraid he'd vanished, nothing but a mere hallucination. Arthur jumped. having not noticed Merlin enter the room. He scowled.

"Merlin, I wish you wouldn't keep doing that. it's highly irritating."

"Oh, just like you then?"

"Shut up, Merlin."

Merlin grinned, pleased at the banter. He'd missed that. It was funny, all the times in Camelot he'd wished nothing for Arthur to stop bickering with him, to be nice to him, but now that had changed. It made him feel like he could be back in the castle.

"So, what were you thinking about?" Merlin asked Arthur.

"Just...everything, really." Merlin's smile faded. Arthur had his 'serious' face on.

"What do you mean?"

"Why am I here? I meam, obviously I don't regret it, but I just don't understand. I just wish I knew that's going on...everyon'e gone. I never even got to say goodbye to Gwen." Arthur replied, his voice cracking on that last part. Merlin could see he needed comforting. He strode over to Arthur and squatted down next to him.

"Arthur, I don't understand either. I do have some theories, though. It would be easier if the Dragon was alive..actually, no, he'd just give me a riddle. I'm a Dragonlord, the last one" He added, in answer to Arthur's expression. "I'll get to the bottom of this, I promise." It was a rash promise to make, but Merlin was determined to try.

Arthur licked his lips nervously. "Merlin, what did you mean when you said you could 'show' me what happened?"

Merlin gnawed on his lip anxiously. Arthur seemed ok with his abilities, but this particular piece was a tricky and complex incantation, plus he'd never actully put it into practise before. What is he managed to ipe Arthur's memory completely clean?

"Ok" Merlin finally answered. "IN order to show you, I'm going to have to perform some magic on you" He waited to see Arthur's reaction. Arthur hesitated, unsure. He'd still got the wariness of magic that his father had instilled on him. But he knew Merlin would never hurt him.

"Alright. But I'mwarning you, anything goes wrong and I have your head on a platter," he threatened. However, Merlin merely smiled.

"Actually, you won't murder's illegal now, no matter what class you are in."

"Oh, and sorcery isn't?" Arthur asked sarcastically.

"No, it's not. It doesn't even exist any more" Merlin returned.

"Apart from you." It wasn't a question.

"Apart from me" Merlin confirmed.

Arthur sat down in his chair and Merlin dragged his over to sit opposite him. He put his palm on Arthur's forehead, who drew away sharply.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" he asked, alarmed.

"In order for the spell to work, I must put my hand on your head, to projectmy memories through touch" Merlin explained. Arthur slowly nodded, a crease between his eyebrows.

"Ok. Go on then."

Merlin took a deep breath. This would require all his strength and leave him completely drained by the end of it. But it was necessary Arthur understood.

Arthur watched the warlock's face intently, wondering idf his eyes would change colour again. An expression of deep concentration settled in Merlin's face, his mouth working furiously., his eyes determined. Merlin set his mouth in a hard line, knitting his brows together. This expression scared Arthur. He looked more like the man who had seen horrors for an thousand years that he was. Arthur got a single glimpse of eyes, bright as jewels, changing from turquoise to liquid gold as Merlin whispered the incantation.

_"Eeyar obasay soloco haroz ,ae thor cerwanaq filivan, ilagoanot hanrafanod ecay yesay holonon toco lasand!"_

Suddenly, Arthur's mind was teeming with meories that were not his own.

A young boy with tousled black hair and a bag with a mat on his back, entering the gates of Camelot. He was trembling with hope and thoughts of a new life. Anticipating his time here. Then the memory disintergrated.

Merlin entering Gaius' chambers. Wonder. So many books, just waiting to be read, to fill the big yawning hole in Merlin's mind, to be filled with knowledge. _Hello_! Merlin had called. Suddenly, Gaius toppled over the railings. Panicked, merlin stopped Gaius from falling with magic and moved the bed. The shock and fear on the old man's face. Then the scene dissolved.

Bit by bit, snapshots of memory flew through Arthur's mind. He noticed some faces, recognised some. His friends. Gaius. Gwen. Leon. Perciavl. Gwaine. Mordred. His own face figured prominently. Some faces he knew, but could not work out how Merlin was connected to them. Like a druid girl that Arthur dimly realised to be the beast that terrorised Camelot. Arthur realised just how badly he'd treated Merlin. Blind to his talents. Merlin never seeking the glory.

The last memory was lined in sorrow, and was the clearest. His face, pale, weak and dying, as the life leached out of him. Terror tore at Merlin's heart as he struggled to haul Artur up.

_"Just...just hold me. Please."_

Arthur looked into his own face as he uttered his final words.

_"Thank you."_

Then, his body slumped n Merlin's arms. Merlin had never felt so helpless, so useless. The he let out howl after howl of grief, each wave fresh and strong.

Camelot, derelict and unused. Merlin's friends dying off, one by one, and Merlin couldn't save them, because his magic had disappeared. Suddenly, Camelot was no more, the grand towers of the citadel crumbling to a few stumps and stones.

Merlin waited.

All those years.

Alone.


	7. Chapter 7-Why Am I Here?

Chapter 6: Why Am I Here?

Arthur felt Merlin's hand fly off his forehead suddenly and was momentarily disorientated by the flood of memories disappeared. He blinked through the fog and saw his friend flying across the room backwards as if an invisible hand was wrenching him through the air across the room.

He slammed into the wall opposite and crumpled to the floor, unmoving. Arthur scrambled from his seatand rushed overto Merlin, where he lay, head turned away from him, eyes closed. Arthur shook him vigourously, but Merlin's head simply flopped side to side, his body rattling with shallow breath. Arthur gently pulled one of Merlin's eyelids open and was alarmed to see that his eyes had rolled backwards in his head, so his eyes were just slits of white. Panicking, Arthur shook him again.

"Merlin! MERLIN!" he checked his pulse. It was faint, but still there, beating steadily. "Wake up!" Still no response. "Merlin, I'm really sorry about this.." he said, even though he knew he could not hear him. Arthur slappped him across the face, and Merlin yelped loudly, suddenly sitting up, arms flailing, so Arthur had to jump back to avoid getting punched.

"Ow!" Merlin protested angrily, rubbing the red weal that was already developing on his jaw. He registered a dull throbbing pain in the bck of his head and an odd feeling in his spine, as if he'd fallen from a great height.

"Aah..I didn't know that was going to happen" Merlin said, realisation dawning. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Well, obviously, or wouldn't have done it." Merlin collapsed into a chair, completely wrung out. That had really drained him. he leaned back, closing his eyes, then opened one again as Arthur pushed a glass o water in his hands, the cold liquid running down the sides.

"Here, drink this". Arthur knew very little of healing, but he'd noticed Gaius using it on faint victims and thought it might help. Merlin nodded weakly and drained the glass. With a sigh, he set the now-empty glass on the table. Arthur was relieved to see that the colour on the other side of his face was beginning to slowly come back to him. He guiltily averted his eyes from the crimson tide on his other cheek.

Rubbing the back of his head, Merlin asked, "How much did you see?"

"All of it. From when you first arrived in Camelot to when the citadel crumbled." Arthur replied. "There were a few bits I didn't quite get to see properly, though, they flashed by to quick for me to understand.."

"Which bits?" Merlin questioned.

"Well, like what happened before the battle..I saw you and Gwane in a forest, but I didn't get what was going on. And there was a girl, who transformed ino a beast. I recognised her as the one I wounded. What's she got to do with you?"

Agony ripped at Merlin's heart. Of course, Arthur didn't know of his association with her..

Arthur, noticing the tormented expression on his friend's face, sensed something was wrong. "Merlin, if you don't want to say, it's fine. I was just curious, that's all."

"No" Merlin said. "I want to tell you. It think it's high time you knew." He ried to assemble his jumbled thoughts. "Her name was Freya" he continued quietly. "She was-" he choked off, blinking back tears even these long years hadn't managed to dry off. He tried again. "She was beautiful, strong, caring, kind, selfless. She was the best thing in my world."

"She sounds wonderful" Arthur said with a small smile. Merlin allowed himself a smile in return.

"But she was cursed, as I think you discovered, to become a bloodthirsty beast by night, with an unsatiable need to kill. But she was herself around me, she recognised me.."

Arthur remembered her properly now, her heartwrenching scream of pure agony, as she grew into a huge black cat. He looked at Merlin, and galnced away, embaressed, as he saw Merlin's eyes were a rather watery blue.

"She was the only woman I'd ever loved."

Arthur's heart stilled, blood roaring in his ears. "What happened?" he whispered.

"When you slashed her with your sword..the wound was too deep. I couldn't save her" Merlin replied, equally softly. Arthur was horrified. He'd killed-_murdered_-Merlin's girl. How would he ever forgive himself? he preferred it when he didn't know. "Merlin, I-I didn't know-you should have-I mean,-"

"It's fine. Well, no, it's not, but I know why you did it. I don't resent you for it." Merlin cut off Arthur's stuttering. He closed his eyes again, willing the tears not to slide down his cheeks. He remembered her-everything about her, how she looked when he first saw her in that cage, appealing to him with her eyes, how small yet strong she was, and how she lay, dying in his arms.

Arthur sympathetic hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present. He opened his eyes again. "I'm sorry." Arthur simply said. he needn't say any more. It was only a little thing, but it spoke volumes to Merlin. He smiled again, and this time it reached his eyes. "I already forgave you years ago" he said. "But I accept your apology." Arthur squeezed Merlin's shoulder and released him.

"One thing..Gwen" he said.

"What about her?" Merlin asked.

"She..she never got remarried, did she?" Arthur asked tentatively. He knew he was being selfish, but he resented the idea of Gwen being with someone else.

"Never." Merlin replied firmly. Arthur looked as if he had a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

"Was she a good Queen?" he asked, certain she was.

Merlin nodded. "She was brilliant. She did work out I had magic when I was gone..but she didn't legalise it for a long time after your passing."

"Why?" said Arthur, startled.

"She told me it was because it would make it look like Morgana had won" Merlin replied. Arthur gave a non-commital jerk of the head. He supposed that made sense.

"Anyway," Merlin said, breaking Arthur from his reverie. "I'd best get on with chores." Arthur lept up eagerly.

"Can I help?" he asked Merlin.

"Oh..it's ok, Arthur. I'd be much quicker on my own. Thanks for the offer though." he answered, privately thinkign that Arthur would be lucky if he got the chance to ever help. Arthur nodded, disappointed, and followed Merlin out of the room. Merlin pointed Arthur through to the lounge.

"Just through there, Arthur. There's some books if you want to read." Arthur left obediently, leaving Merlin to breathe a sigh of relief. He clattered around the kitchen, trying to block unnecessary painful thoughts. To his surprise, he heard the television in the sitting room to his right flicker to life. Obviously Arthur had figured out how to use the television. Well, let him, he thought. I just hope he doesn't ry to take it apart. There was a popping noise of guns and men's shouts. He guessed that Arthur was watching a film to do with weapons or something. He'd always liked being in combat, being very good at it. he should now. He still had the scar on his shoulderblade from the mace. He supposed that the swords and tin helmets seemed petty and ridiculous compared to the machine guns and bombs of todays' weapons, but Merlin preferred them. He just hoped Arthur wasn't expecting him to get him a torpaedo or something.

Shutting off his ears to the racket the television was making (Arthur clearly hadn't mastered the use of the volume button yet), Merlin got on with his work. Telling himself what to do was a habit, obeying with robotic motions. What he'd done at first, to keep himself together. Literally talking to himself.

It took such a long time to put himself back together. He woke up the morning after Arthur's death, limbs stiff and achy, childishly hoping it had all been a dream. But then he noticed he was in the woods, felt the dried tear tracks marring his face, his throat hoarse, and a hollow pain where his lungs should be. Then, a wound ripped open in his chest, the edges sore and bleeding, a hole where his heart had been. Realistically, he knew there was no hole there, but it certainly felt like it. All his loved ones faces passed through his mind. His mother, his father, Freya, Arthur...why was he neverable to keep anyone alive?

Even after he'd returned to camelot, for years after he felt dead, wooden. He was functioning. One day, he just broke down while cleaning Gwen's chambers. Gwen and Merlin held eachother as they wept together.

Things did gradually get better. The nightmares diappeared, taking his magic with them. He'd never felt so vunerable, as if the very meaning of his existence had been taken from him. Who was he without his magic? Just Arthur's dopey servant. But he'd learned to adapt. He'd survived. Just about. He emerged out of depression about a century later.

Sighing, Merlin pushed up his shirt sleeves, ignoring the cuts on his arms, and put the pots and pans into soak in the ceramic sink. He'd seen Arthur frowning at the scars, but pointedly ignored the furtive looks he was shooting him. Arthur didn't push the matter.

After he finished his washing up, he dried his hands on a tea towel and threw it in the laundry basket on his way out. Merlin ambled into the living room and found Arthur sitting cross legged in front of the TV, repeatedly pressing the 'channel up' button on the remote control and gazing avidly at the screen, apparantly riveted. Merlin folded his arms loosely and leaned against the door frame, grinning.

"Hem hem" he cleared his throat. Arthur looked around and beamed.

"Merlin, this is extraordinary! Are you sure this isn't magic?!" he asked, delighted. Merlin leaned over and clicked the TV off.

"Science" he simply said. Nudging Arthur with is foot to get up, he sat down on the sofa.

"Why am I here?" Arthur asked, yet again, joining Merlin. Merlin closed his eyes, then opened them again.

"I have a theory. I think there's going to be some sort of war. Like-"

"Oh, you mean like World War Two?" Arthur interrupted. Merlin stared at him. Where had he learnt that? He'd never even mentioned World War Two.

"Don't look at me like that. I saw it on that black box you call a television. About a racist maniac called Hitler. Personally, I think it all started because of his name. I mean, who calls their child Adolf Hitler? That's just asking to be teased."

Merlin realised that the programme Arthur had been watching was not on weapons, but a documentry on wars.

"Right. So my theory is that it wil be a magical war, that someone with magical abilities will attempt to rise to power again. Merlin explained his idea to Arthur, glad he didn't have to tell him about the war. Then he'd have to tell about the part he had in it, and he didn't want to have to face those horrors again. Immortality did have it's uses, when you couldn't be killed by any amount of bullets.

"What, someone like my sister?" Arthur asked. Merlin nodded grimly.

"Or worse" he replied. Arthur's eyebrows went up at that, disbelieving. Worse than Morgana? Not possible. She was a ruthless killing machine, bent on destroying him, not caring who she murdered in her quest to power. No one was worse than her. Then he remembered something.

"Merlin, you never id tell me what happened that day." Arthur didn't want to explain any more. He could see in his friend's eyes that Merlin understood.

"I know. I was going to, but instead I flew into a wall" Merlin grinned. Arthur threw him a glance.

"What happened?" he repeated. Merlin maintained a serious expression as he explained.

"Morgana somehow-I don't know how- planted a creature under my bed, a creature that sucks out magic from the victim."

"How did she know about your magic?" Arthur asked, surprised. Then he realised. "Mordred" he answered himself. Merlin nodded.

"He told her of my abilities. She knew that it was your greatest protector, and without it you were not completely vunerable, but had a pretty good chance of dying. There was a prophecy that you would die at Camlann, at Mordre's hand. So she sole my magic so I couldn't protect you.

"I knew of a place called the Crystal Cave in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. In that Cave, I knew I would regain my magic.

"I don't know how, but Morgana discovered where I was going. She followed me and Gwaine and trapped me in the Cave. i thought I was going to die in there. I had never felt so helples..so afraid.." Merlin trailed off. Arthur didn't know if he was acting or not, but the effect was good. "So what happened?" he prompted Merlin.

"I was unconcious for a while. When I woke up, I saw my father, balinor. He died a while ago. I passed out again, but oke up to discover my magic had returned. I contacted you through the magic crystal in the Cave"

"My dream" Arthur remembered.

"I could see where Morgana was coming through. I also saw odd flashes of images, I didn't know what they were then..I know now I was looking into the future.

"Balinor appeared and showed me out of the Cave. I turned into Emrys-" Arthur was showing every sign of interrting, so Merlin held a finger up. "Let me finish, please. Emrys is my old sorcerer form. You recognised me, I think?" he asked, smirking slightly. When he saw comprehension on Arthur's face, he chuckled. "I made my way to Camlann and defeated the Saxons. I knocked Mrogana out and aided your success.

" But I forgot about Mordred. I found you later, slumped against a rock. Whatever I'd felt in the Cave, it was nothing-_nothing_-compared to the sheer terror I experienced there..and you know what happened after that." Merlin finished. he was too absorbed, a million miles away. I waited for the pain to come, but to his happy surprise, it ebbed away. maybe sharing this with Arthur would lift the pain.

The pair sat in silence for about five minutes, the quiet only interrupted by the clock. As Merlin went to get up, Arthur grabbed his wrist. it was now or never.

"One more thing, Merlin." Merlin sat down slowly. Arthur had noticed them while Merlin was cooking, when he rolled his sleeves up, when his necktie unravelled slightly.

The burn mark on his neck, the white scars, light as feathers, criss-crossing his wrists. The tortured lok in his eyes that he couldn't quite mask. God knows how many other wounds he was hiding.

Whoever had hurt Merlin, they would pay.

Merlin was immediately on his guard. "What?" he asked defensively. Arthur pulled his arm towards him and yanked up the sleeve. Merlin was suddenly terrified. he didn't want to talk about this, not now..

"What is this, Merlin?" Arthur demanded. Merlin scrambled around in his mind. Make something up! his thoughts screamed.

"I-well, machinery-"

"Don't lie to me, Merlin! Who hurt you?" Arthur ordered. Merlin stopped. Who had hurt him? Here was the perfect lie presented to him. But he couldn't plant the blame on soemone else. His consiense wouldn't let him. "Nobody" Merlin replied. "Nobody hurt me."

Arthur was confused. Nobody? He refused to consder the alternative, but he thought it anyway. If no-one had hurt Merlin, then...

Merlin smiled slightly as he saw that Arthur understood. "You see," he said softly, pulling his shirt sleeve down, suddenly self-conscious. "People do stupid things when they think they will never be happy again." He paused, and to Arthur's surprise, Merlin laughed. "It's ok, Arthur. it happened centuries ago. I'm ok now." Arthur tentatively returned the smile. He never realised just how fragile Merlin had been. All those times Merlin had come near death for him, he always managed to pick himself up again with a smile.

Merlin watched Arthur carefully as he rolled his tongue around his mouth, obviously thinking what to say. "Merlin, how could you be so stupid?" Merlin smiled. Clearly that was Arthur's reaction to everything.

Merlin suddenly felt as if a huge rock that he'd never even realised was pressing on his chest had been removed. He felt lighter, cleaner. Freer. "I'm not stupid" he replied.

"That's debatable." Arthur told him. Melin laughed and stretched, stifling a yawn behind his hand. Arthur frowned. "So, in a nutshll, some evil sorcerer is threatening Camelot again?"

"Something like that" Merlin nodded.

"So, why am I here? Can't you just do some fancy enchantments and make everything safe again? I don't see what part I hsve in this" Arthur said bluntly.

Merlin sighed, exasperated. "Arthur, I dont think you understand. You are the once and future king-the one to unite Albion, once and for all. You never failed to protect Camelot-"

"_You_ never failed, you mean."

"No, I merely aided you. You are everything that is good in this world-can't you see that?You were to rise to protect Camelot, and protect it, you shall." Merlin finished. How many times had they gone through this? And still Arthur failed to understand? Arthur stretched and yawned loudly.

"Well, this is all very interesting, but I'm shattered. This whole returning-from-the-dead thing really knocks you out. Have you got soemwhere I can sleep?"

Merlin hesitated. He was reluctant to sleep. What if he woke and found it had all been a mere dream? Then he looked up at Arthur, who was looking at him expectantly, slightly impatient. He was very much alive, Merlin decided. Then he rememebred he didn't have anywhere for him to sleep. "I don't have anywhere," Merlin realised. "I'll stay down here until I can clear a room for you. Maybe the store room." He said.

"That''s not fair!" Arthur protested, but Merlin quelled him with a look. He grumbled but shut up, wondering what the following day would bring.

_**AN-Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I apologise for any spelling mistakes, On the first few chapters i was typing in the dark so it's quite difficult to see where your typing :p I have few more fanfics on my account if you wanna check them out, they're quite accurate as I live in Britain (Wales to be precise) so I know where the legends were actually set. I'm new to fanfiction so I don't have very many, but am keen to expand them to harry Potter, The Hunger Games etc. Thanks for reading! c:**_


	8. Seeing the Sights

Chapter 7-Seeing the Sights

Merlin woke up to the soft light gently filtering through the curtains. It took him a minute to work out why he was sleeping on the sofa in his sitting room. His back felt all twisted and his legs were curled up against his chest.

He blinked a few times, wondering if this was a dream. Turning over on the leather, he mumbled, half asleep, "Arthur's back." Then he realised properly, it really sunk in. He bolted upright in his makeshift bed, dislodging several pillows. "Arthur's back!" he exclaimed loudly. He lept out of bed, beaming so wide it made his cheeks ache.

He did a silly little jig, just a small celebration that the entire episode was not a dream. Arthur was alive! He had to confirm this. Merlin strode over to the wicker chair where his clothes were hastily folded. Pulling his denim shirt on, The sight of his arm caught his eye. He lifted it to inspect it. The white lines that usually decorated his skin were gone. He reached around and felt his back. The rough, scarred skin was now smooth once more. Walking over to the mirror, he pulled his collar aside and noticed that the score mark that was usually stretched across his skin had disappeared also as if it had simply sunk into his flesh over night. Had he subconciously healed himself magically? Or was it Arthur's presence had a profound effect on him, their destinies interwined?

As he continued to tug on his clothes, he reflected on the horrors to come. Kilgarrah had told Merlin that Arthur would return when Camelot's need was at it's greatest. What would there be? An army of the dead? A group of invincible robots? Bloodthirsty, moving statues? No, he'd been watching too much Doctor Who.

Arthur had only fallen when Morgana had done so. Camelot was at peace once she had gone. Now he had risen, would Morgana too?

_Stop right there_, he ordered himself. There was no need to dwell on such matters just yet. They would do so when the time had come.

Merlin crept quietly out of the sitting room, shutting the door gently behind him. He walked up the stairs, taking care to avoid the creaky step. He turned into the landing, being cautious to not make any noise. The door to Arthur's (well, Merlin's) bedroom was open. _That's odd_, Merlin thought._I thought Arthur had closed it_. Still, at least it meant he wasn't going to disturb Arthur.

He stepped into the room, wincing as he stepped on the loose floorboard. It squeaked loudly in protest. Merlin looked up, to see that he hadn't woken Arthur, and gasped in dismay. Arthur wasn't there! Where had he gone? Merlin told himself to calm down. Arthur hadn't disappeared in a puff of smoke. See, there was his chainmail, still bundled on the floor, and Excalibur was propped up against the wall. The sheets were rumpled and mushed. Nothing to worry about.

Merlin walked out of his bedroom, twisting his thumbs together. Where could he have gone? It might have been possible for Arthur to have slipped out of the front door, but he didn't think so. He would have surely woken. Wouldn't he?

Merlin was so deep in his reverie, he jumped when Arthur's voice trailed out of the room behind him.

"I'm in here, Merlin."

Merlin wheeled around and walked into the library. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Arthur sprawled on the floor, books all around him. Some flapped open, the page corners folded down to mark the place, some with sheets of notes tucked inside them. At that moment, Arthur's blonde head was buried in a book about the universe. His brow was wrinkled, mouthing the words, his eyes alight with curiosity. He looked up when Merlin walked in and gestured to the book. "Merlin-this is amazing!" he said, almost indignantly. Certainly surprised. Merlin smiled. Even he still found it wonderful.

"I know. Have you read about the moon landing in 1960 yet?" Merlin asked, crouching down next to Arthur.

"Moon landing?"

Merlin flipped the pages until he found the chapter on 'Men In Space'. He pointed to the passage that explained the feat.

"Here, just there."

Arthur read the passage, following the lines with his finger. "But-Merlin, I-this is astonishing!" he said when he'd finished.

Merlin smiled, amused. Arthur's delight really was hilarious. But, then again, his reaction had been much the same when he'd found out. "Yes, it was even better seeing it!" he laughed, showing off a little. Arthur just stared at him, mouth agape.

"You were there?"

"Yep!"

Arthur punched Merlin lightly on the arm. "_Mer_lin! That's not fair!" he said. Then he laughed. Really, this was funny. He put the book down and picked up another, a thick paperback. Merlin gestured to it.

"What's that one?" he asked. Arthur showed him the cover.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Arthur replied. "I've just started reading it."

"That's the fourth one in the series. You need to read it from the first book." Merlin told him.

"What?" Arthur blinked.

"It's a series, which means the story starts in one book and ends in another. This one has seven books." Merlin explained, slightly impatient. He walked over to the bookshelf and picked up a slim red and blue book from it, and tossed it to Arthur. Arthur caught it easily, a reflex biult from knight training. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," he read loud. It had a picture of a huge thing in the background with a boy standing in fron. Arthur pointed to the huge thing.

"Merlin, what's that?" Merlin walked over and looked at the cover.

"It's a train, Arthur-like a horse and carriage-only without the horse." When Arthur contined to look puzzled, he added, "We'll go on one later." Arthur smiled and put the book down.

Merlin walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain. Outside, a swirling mass of white was cascading down, obstructing his line of vision. Merlin could barely see the houses across the road, just the light from slow moving cars slicing through the snow.

"Hey, Arthur, it's snowing," he told him, turning his head, still holding the curtain. Arthur got up and dusted his knees. He was wearing the white tunic and brown trousers he was wearing before. The clothes that Merlin lent him were undeniably better and more up-to-date, but he preferred his usual clothes. If he closed his eyes, and snuffled up the scent of old books, he could pretend he was standing in the palace library, back in Camelot.

He walked over to where Merlin was standing, who shuffled up to make room for Arthur to stand. He peered out the window.

"It's coming down faster than before" he commented.

"How long have you been awake for?" Merlin asked, turning to Arthur. Arthur shrugged.

"A few hours. It was still dark when I woke up," He answered. He turned away from the window, letting the curtain fall. Arthur picked his way back to the books and stacked them up, making a teetering pile. He frowned at it. "I think you could have done it neater."

"I doubt it," Merlin replied. "Gaius was always going on about how messy I was."

Arthur gave a non-commital jerk of the head. "So, what's for breakfast?" he asked.

"I don't know. What do you want?"

Arthur considered this. "I'm not sure. How about bread and stuff? With sausages? Can I help?" He asked eagerly. Merlin laughed at him.

"Yes, ok. And then shall we see a bit of Glastonbury?"

"Glastonbury?" Arthur repeated, confused.

"Sorry-we're in Glastonbury now, it's what Albion's called" Merlin explained.

"Oh..ok!"

They both walked out of the room, Merlin flicking the light off as they left.

-

"For God's _sake_, Arthur, how many times have I told you? Get. Out. The. Fridge!"

Arthur clambered out, rubbing his arms to get rid of the goosebumps. He held Merlin's glare. Merlin sighed and started slotting the shelves back in, stacking the foodback in. Arthur folded his arms.

"I just wanted to see of the light went off when I closed the door" he said sulkily. Merlin straightened up, leaning backwards slightly to ease his back.

"Well, if you keep doing that, not only will I probably keep you in there, the food will go off!" he snapped back.

It was eleven o'clock in the morning and they'd only got as far as burning the bacon. Arthur had climbed in the fridge three times, put his hands in a hot oven, pulled up the linoleoum and attempted to dismantle the tap faucet. Merlin's patience had gradually evaporated and he felt like strangling Arthur.

Arthur threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry!" he bit. Merlin closed his eyes, only replying when he was sure he wouldn't make some snappy retort

"It's ok. Just..do as I say, alright?"

Arthur was relived that Merlin hadn't hit him or something. He grinned with bravado and did a three-fingered salute. "Yes, sir!" he said jovially.

"Er, Arthur? You do know you just did the 'Heil Hitler' sign, don't you?" Merlin asked, supressing a smile. Arthur snapped his hand down quickly.

"I thought it looked-er-'cool'" he said, face reddening. Merlin shook his head.

"Right, we've got no time to make anything decent. Just toast, I suppose."

Arthur huffed crossly. "I wanted something nice" he complained.

"Gutted."

Merlin put some toast in the toaster. Arthur stared at it, itching to take it apart and see how it worked. Everything was so new to him0 while this was irritational, it was also oddly exciting, because now he could learn. He'd always liked learning. His father never saw cause for any schooling, though goodness, Arthur had begged him enough times. Uther only thought that he only needed to be taught the 'necessary' things- basically that magic was evil. Arthur would secretly sneak into the library and pore over books. Anatomy, history, chemistry-anything.

The toast popped up and Arthur jumped, earning a smirk from Merlin. Arthur glared.

"_Mer_lin! Why didn't you tell me?!" he said crossly.

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, I didn't realise you'd be scared."

"Scared?_ Scared?!_ Nobody accuses Arthur Pendragon of being scared! I wasn't scared!" Arthur said indignantly.

Merlin nodded sarcastically. "Ri-i-ight" he teased. He knew Arthur wasn't really afraid, but it was fun winding him up.

Merlin leaned back on the counter, munching his toast. Then he noticed what Arthur was wearing. He heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Arthur, what the heck are you wearing?"

Arthur immedately looked sheepish, but answered obstinately, "Clothes."

"You look like a hippy."

"A what?"

"A-never mind. Fine, wear whatever you want. Just don't blame me if you get funny looks. At least it's one degree better than your chainmail." Merlin said, too weary to argue.

He finished his toast and dumped the plate in the sink, Arthur mimicking his movements. Merlin grabbed he jacket from the back of the kitchen door. "Come on, or we'll never get out."

-

"Good morning, may I help you?"

A pretty woman with honey blonde hair greeted them when they walked into the museum foyer. She wore a smart black trouser suit, high heeled boots and a nametag saying 'Staff-Sophie'. She smiled warmly at the pair, her smile lingering perhaps a little longer than necessary on Arthur. Merlin cast him a warning glance. However, Arthur merely smiled stiffly. Merlin turned his look on Sophie again.

"No, thank you. We're ok" he replied.

Sophie's smile dimmed slightly. "If you're sure..."

"Oh yes, thank you." Sophie glared at him as if he had offended her greatly. Merlin went to walk past her, but stopped suddenly. Didn't he know her from somewhere?

Arthur pulled on Merlin's arm, clearly embarassed. "Merlin!" he hissed. "You're a nightmare around girls!"

Merlin pulled away, irritated, mumbling about being able to escort himself. "I recognise her from somewhere..." he trailed off.

"Merlin, you've lived for _a very long time_. Of course you recognise her! You probably saw her when she was a child! Or just around town! Honestly." Arthur dismissed.

Merlin shook his head. "There's more to it than that" he replied, but Arthur had already trode off, the buckles on his boots clicking. He sighe and went to catch Arthur up. H felt a hot, prickly feeling on the back of his neck. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Sophie glaring at him still, her lips pulled back slightly over her teeth in a horrifying grimace. Suddenly, his instincts were telling him to get out there, get out there fast.

/

"Oh, for God's sake" Merlin muttered to himself. For the millionth time that day, he'd glanced back and seen that Sophie edging towards them, her eyes flicking between Merlin's and Arthur's face. She surely couldn't be that besotted with Arthur, could she? Girls were strange creatures.

Averting his eyes, he checked where Arthur was. He was circling some exhibit, gazing raptly at and interactive screen, which at the moment was showing some documentry on knights. Merlin dithered, pretending to be admiring some crown jewels, still feeling Sophie's eyes trained on him. Her stare was making him feels uncomfortable. He peeked at her from the corner of his eye. _If only Gaius were here_, Merlin thought wistfully. _He'd probably know what was up_.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur called loudly, making everyone in the proximity jump and stare. Merlin inwardly cringed. "Why didn't you tell me I was an important historical figure?!" Immediately after, Arthur clapped his hand over his mouth, looking at Merlin with wide eyes. A curious babble rippled through the room, everyone glancing at eachother. They clearly thought Arthur was mad. _You absolute IDIOT, Arthur!_ Merlin thought crossly. _HOW are we going to get out of this one?!_

Merlin felt a surprisingly strong hand clasp his forearm, nails digging in. Merlin spun around, shocked, and saw Sophie. He hadn't realised just how close she'd got. How did she get over here so fast?

"Did he just call himself an important historical figure?" The gleam in her eyes was not fearful, nor inquistive, as Merlin expected, but..triumphant. As if she'd achieved some unknown goal. As if she'd accomplished something big.

Merlin smiled uneasily. "He's just kidding.." Merlin said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. They grip tightened further.

"Oh?" he raised an enquiring eyebrow. "And your name's Merlin. That's unusual."

Merlin avoided her eyes, uncomfortable. What was she getting at?

"Wel, my father was a fan of the Arthurian legends.." he said, trying to extract himself from this strange woman's hold.

"Really?" She smiled coldly, as if she knew this was a lie. But she couldn't. Could she? "You weren't, perhaps-part of them?"

Merlin's blood went cold. What the hell? How could she possibly know? "P-part of them? Don't be ridiculous.." he mumbled. Sophie fnally released him, thrusting him backwards slightly, causing him to stumble. Then the strangest thing happened.

Sophie clicked her fingers and the entire world froze. The people inside the building stopped, the cars outside ceased to drive, the birds fell silent. Even the air conditioning and other gadgets inside the builing stopped humming and making background noise. Merlin had never heard the world to be so silent.

Sophie began to glow an electric blue. The air around her oulsated and rippled, bending around her. Hair began to grow from her scalp, lengthening until it reached the middle of her back. Strands started braiding themselves, threading with coloured wool. Her trouser suit changed from black pinstripe to flowing robes of the finest materials, silk and gossamer and chiffon, in cream and gold. A long cape of the heaviest velvet flowed from her shoulders, and in her hands she held a grand and imposing staff, topped with the brightest blue jewel Merlin had ever seen. Finally she stopped glowing, but her irises were tinged with red,

She was one of the most beautiful beings Merlin had ever seen. But he'd hoped to never see her again. He set his jaw and flung her a look of deepest loathing.

"You."

Sophia Tirmawr smiled, one of the most innocent smiles. Merlin was almost over come by her enhantment. "You recognise me now, I think?" she smirked, stroking up and down her arms the precious fabric slipping through her fingers.

"How is this possible?" Merlin seethed. "I killed you at Avalon, right after you tried to murder Arthur!"

Sophia's angelic smile twisted into a sneer. "The Sidhe took pity on me. The reaped my soul and encased it. They knew that the failure of the ceremony was not through my fault. For centuries, I have been trapped in darkness, never seeing nor hearing a thing.  
"But when the Pendragon emerged from the Lake, we were destroyed. Great magic stirred and and the Sidhe scattered. My prison was demolished and my soul was set free. However, I still had no form. I was just matter. But the Lake Lady found me and granted me a human form, believing I was a helpless creature. Fool!" Sophia laughed coldly. Merlin was stunned. _Freya _had brought this creature back?

"So why are you here?" Merlin asked, folding his arms across his chest. As if he didn't know.

"You killed my father, Merlin Ambrosia. I swore vengenace on you from the day I died. Many terrible things await you...think of this as a mercy killing!  
However, if you give me what I seek..what you have stolen...you will be spared."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Merlin cried. What did he have? He hadn't got anything that was of importance to her. Sophia's mouth contorted.

"Very well...your choice!" She snapped. Clicking her fingers again, the museum sprung to life once more. Arthur rushed to Merlin's side. He stared at Sophia, brow furrowing. "Don't I know you?" he asked politely, courteous as ever. Sophia ignored him. She turned her eyes back to Merlin, and he realised her eyes were blood red, somewhat destroying the ethereal beauty that her face held.

"You have made a terrible mistake, Merlin. I shall destroy everything you hold dear. Feel my wrath!" she screamed, raising her staff. A bolt shot from the jewel and hit a young boy square in the stomach. He looked up, surprise on his face, and Merlin got a fleeting glimpse. Black hair and pale green eyes, as innocent and young as Mordred was when they rescued him. He cried out and then he was gone.

Sophia spun around, raising her staff to vaporise another, but Arthur shouted, "NO!" He wrenched the staff upwards and the bolt soared through the glass dome roof. The glass shattered and shards rained down, crashing and splintering on the mosaic ground. People all around screamed and grabbed their families, running for the exit, after a moment of being stunned by the doom Sophia inflicted on the boy.

Sophia growled, her skin pulsating blue for a second, and rounded on Arthur. "You'll pay for that!" she shrieked. She opened her mouth to utter an incantation, but as she advanced, Merlin randomely stuck his foot out and Sophia went sprawling on the ground, her staff clattering away from them. She kicked out wildly, and Arthur pinned her down. Merlin waved his hands over her. She stopped struggling, and turned her eyes on Arthur. "Please?" she implored. Merlin saw Arthur's face wipe blank and his eyes glazed over. Sophia took advantage of this and shoved him away from her, picking her self up and whirled on Merlin.

"_Seilranch nao'ren_!" he roared, and Sophia flew through the air, her flowing dress flying around her. She crumpled against the wall. A small fire flickered in the corner and quickly began to consume the room. Arthur sprang up, the charm broken. Merlin pushed him forwards. "RUN!"

The pair sprinted out of the burning building and threw themsleves at the nearest car, skidding slightly in the snow. Glancing around to ensure no-one was watching, Merlin unlocked the car using his magic and hurled himself into the car. Arthur dashed around the side and got in too.

"Go!" Arthur shouted. Merlin cast a quick spell to make the car move. He stamped on the pedal, gritting his teeth, and the car shot forwards. Merlin felt his stomach flatten against his spine as the car sped away. In the wing mirror, he noticed a man running after the car and shouting furiously. _Too late_, he thought and he wiped the window of the flurry of snow. He turned onto the main road and the drove at top speed , as far away from the museum as possible.

"Stop!" Arthur cried as they passed Avalon, Merlin's eyes fixed firmly on the road. He stomped on the brake, hard. The flew forward.

"What?" Merlin said urgently, panicking. Was Sophia following them?

Arthur pointed a finger out the window. "Avalon..." he said tremulously.

Merlin followed his line of sight. Where the Lake had previously been there were sprawling fields, currenly blanketed with snow. A plough was cutting through the snow, pushing it to the side, and a few houses with a stable were at the far end of the farm, next to the woods. Some cows were huddled in a herd,preserving heat.

Merlin launched himself out of the car, scrunching up his face in confusion. Arthur got out, too, his hand resting on the top of the car door. "How?" he breathed. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know" Merlin replied tightly. A sound behind them alerted him. Merlin turned around, and saw a middle aged woman and a dalmation walking towards them The woman wore a quilted bodywarmer over a mohair jumper, her jeans tucked into some wellington boots. The dog bounded towards them eagerly, his tail whipping from side to side.

"Pirate!" the woman laughed. "Here, boy!" Pirate trotted back over to the woman, his tonhue lolling from his mouth. She bent down and clipped his lead of, smiling at the pair. Merlin vaguely knew her. He'd seen her walking Pirate before, so he smiled reassuringly at Arthur to tell him she wasn't any danger.

Merlin stepped forwards, trying to arrange his features from anxious confusion to what he hoped was a friendly and inviting expression. Maybe this woman could give him some answers.

"Excuse me, Mrs..erm.." he began.

"Mrs Leary" she supplied.

"Mrs Leary. What happened to the Lake?" He gestured to the pastoral scene. Mrs Leary looked at him, a crease of confusion between her eyebrows.

"Lake?" she repeated.

"Yes, you know-the Lake of Av-Glastonbury," Merlin told her patiently. He'd nearly said Avalon, but remembered just in time no-one knew it was Avalon. Mrs Leary looked at him. Merin felt frustrated. It really wasn't that difficult. She was acting as cryptic as Kilgarrah. "What happened?" he repeated. He heard Arthur step closer, too.

Mrs Leary smiled. Nervously.

"My dear, there has never been a lake there."


	9. Chapter 9-Confusion

**A/N- Sorry it took so long to update! I've had terrible brain block for ages. I know exactly what I want to put down, I just don't know how! Irritating! **

**A HUGE thank you to ****_Thunder Croft_**** for your magnificent review c: I printed it off and now it's on my pinboard! I still can't believe that all you wonderful people who have reviewed really want to read ****_my_**** work, know what I am writing. Also thanks to ****_TheShadowKitty12_**** for reviewing. If you guys have time, do you think you could check out my other stories? It would be a big help! Cheers, you lot!**

* * *

Confusion

"Rrrr!" Merlin burst out as he threw the book he was purging across the room. It hit the wall opposite with a loud thud, the pages flapping bizarrely as if it were a large, awkward bird. It crumpled to the ground, the front cover bent back on itself. Merlin lept up immediately and picked it up, examining it carefully. The spine was slightly torn and a few of the pages were rumpled, but otherwise it was ok. Merlin sighed.

Arthur glanced up. "Honestly, what's the book done to you?" he said mildly.

"It won't provide any answers!" Merlin growled. He started pacing the room, wringing his hands wretchedly. Arthur heaved a sigh that made Merlin's sound like the breath of a butterfly.

They were back in the library at Merlin's house, reading all the books they could find on the 'legends' of King Arthur. Arthur smugly noted that there were a lot on him, something that he couldn't help pointing out to Merlin. Merlin had replied with 'pompous cabbage head'.

In every single book, there was a chapter on Avalon, but there was absolutely nothing about the Lake simply should disappear from memory as well as the face of the planet.

After Mrs Leary had dropped the bombshell, she'd hurried off as if Merlin were mad, her strange dog in tow. They abandoned the stolen car (though Merlin was quick to correct that it was merely borrowed) and searched the farm area and the Isle of Avalon. After an hour of combing the area, all they'd managed to come up with was a tiny body of one of the creatures that had inhabited the Lake, a wisp of bright blue. It fit in the palm of Arthur's hand. "_Sidhe"_, Merlin had pronounced it. He also said that the girl in the museum was one. Merlin had taken the body, as he said the body of a _Sidhe_ was a miracle, and must not be found by the modern people, as they'd most likely cut it up and call it alien and showcase it in a science museum Also, Merlin had told Arthur, it could be beneficial to solving the Mysery Of Avalon. Afterwards, they walked back to Merlin's home, for which Arthur was grateful. He didn't like those roaring metal..._things_ that everyone used for transportation. Sure, they were faster and more comfortable than a galloping horse, but Arthur distrusted something so unfamiliar. He wasn't _scared_. Well. Maybe a little.

Merlin sighed back at Arthur and threw himself down on the floor next to Arthur, the wooden floorboards creaking in protest. "This is so _irritating_," he complained. "I can't find anything at all!"

Arthur frowned and carefully closed his book, placing it on the growing pile of discarded information. "Maybe the answers are beyond the books" he suggested.

"Well...I'd hate to say it, but perhaps you're right" Merlin muttered, almost to himself. He jumped up and started pacing again, twisting his thumbs together. A cramp was starting up in his left leg, adding to the growing sense of frustration. He strode over to the window and pushed back the heavy red velvet of the curtains, and leant his head against the cool glass. The snow had built up to a full blown blizzard again, with occasional patches of hail. The snowflakes were like stars against the night sky. The weather seemed to be reacting to Merlin's mood. In fact, he thought dryly, he wouldn't be surprised if it was.

"I just don't get it" Merlin said, still leaning against the window. He twisted around slightly to face Arthur. "How could it just...disappear? It's not as if it's even dried up. All this time, it hasn't changed state, hasn't receded, nor frozen. But now, it's just-gone. It's been wiped from existence!"

"Merlin." Arthur said sternly.

"I mean, it's just _gone_. How? How could a socking great lake do that?"

"_Merlin_."

"I would say I'm going senile-it's debatable-but you rose from the damned thing yesterday morning-"

"MERLIN!"

Merlin stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"Shut up! Calm down!" Arthur said in his most demanding tone. For some reason, this rubbed Merlin the wrong way. "Well, excuse me all over the place!" he snapped back. In his pocket, his mobile phone began to ring cheerfully. "Oh, shut up!" Merlin shouted and flung it across he room. He didn't bother to go and check on at, as he did the book. It was one of those Nokia bricks so he was more worried about the damage it could do to the wall.

Merlin clenched his fists, feeling a surge of electricity tingling at his fingertips, and outside, lightening tore the sky open. Merlin barely registered it, merely saying, "oops."

Arthur's face was a mask of shock. "_You_ did that?" he exclaimed. Merlin's face remained impassive as he struggled to keep his emotion under control. Although he had only obtained his magic the day before, sometimes power- it wasn't really magic, it was more...electrical energy-exploded out of him when his emotions were running particularly high. Aside from being a potential threat, it was agony to endure. Also, the weather _did_ react to his feelings and thoughts. He didn't know why, and the symptoms had only showed up after Gaius had died, so he couldn't ask him for answers. Merlin had simply put it down to grief.

Arthur shook his head disbelievingly. It wasn't as if he'd never seen Merlin's magic before-he'd seen exactly the true extent of his power at Camlann-it was just the idea that his daft, gangly, clumsy manservant who couldn't deflect a sword to save his life was the most powerful sorcerer to walk the Earth.

Arthur scrutinised Merlin carefully. He had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply but steadily, mouthing something. "Merlin?" he prompted. Merlin opened his eyes and smiled wryly. It looked quite forced to Arthur.

"Sometimes..my magic gets out of control, and I have to calm myself down. It can be quite dangerous.." Merlin said vaguely, and frowned, his teeth worrying his bottom lip.

"I thought you said your magic hadf only returned yesterday?" Arthur said. Was it really yesterday he'd come back? It seemed like an age away, so much had happened.

"It did," Merlin replied. Arthur waited for him to elaborate, but Merlin had his 'thinking' face on. He decided to leave Melrin to it. He'd seen too many of those expressions to know he wouldn't get an ounce of sense from him.

Meanwhile, inside Merlin's head, his brain was whirring so fast it was in danger of catching fire. His magic had returned when Arthur did. Sophia Tirmawr had also returned, due to magic. She'd said, 'great magic stirred.' Did that mean others would rise, too? Gaius had told him after Arthur had died that all the dead eventually found their way back to the realm of Avalon. Sophia Tirmawr, was evil, or had bad intentions, Merlin knew. But what if his 'great magic' had stirred greater evil than the petty _Sidhe_? Or, even worse, was it _his_ magic that had caused this?

So many questions were buzzing madly around Merlin's head, yet so little answers. They were attacking him, and it felt as if they were literally whacking him repeatedly on the sides of his head. He was sure that if Arthur cut open his head, the inside would be all over in bruises, his brain purpled from incessant beatings.

Merlin was jolted out of his train of thought when Arthur waved his mobile phone in front of his face.

"What's this?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin cracked a smile despite his worry. "Really, all the things you could be curious about after today's events, and you choose to ask about a mobile phone!"

"A mobile phone?" Arthur repeated, cocking his head to one side.

"It's like.. something to write letters on, and you can speak to people far away with it."

"And when it made that noise, someone wanted to talk to you?" Arthur nodded, trying to sound intelligent.

"No. My magic was just wreaking havoc with the signal" Merlin replied tiredly. It really could be a pain in the backside.

Arthur put the phone down on a nearby bookshelf. "I don't like it." he said petulantly. Merlin sighed again, and glanced at his wristwatch. It read just gone nine-thirty at night.

"Come on, we'd better get to bed," he said. When Arthur glanced up from yet another book, mouth open to argue, Merlin hurriedly continued; "We can carry on in the morning. I'm sure, after a good night's sleep, everything ill make sense."

"It's been a long day" Arthur agreed, his eyelids threatening to droop closed. He put the book back and stretched. "I'll take the couch tonight" he yawned.

"Oh no, you won't" Merlin replied firmly. "It's my fault I didn't clear a room. I'll do it tomorrow. Besides, you've already settled in my room." At Arthur's doubtfl expression, he smiled. "I'll be fine, trust me."

"Well..if you're sure.." Arthur said uncertainly. Merlin smiled impossibly wider.

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered. You know me!" he joked.

"Unfortunately, I do!" Arthur laughed.

* * *

Much later, Merlin slid under the covers of his 'bed', curling up to preserve body heat. "_Strinegth_" he whispered hoarsely to turn off the light, plunging the room into darkness. All he could hear was the gentle ticking of the clock and the faraway hum of traffic. He turned over, mulling over the vents of the day. How strange that an old enemy should return. She was the first real threat to Arthur. Nimueh and her chalice, the griffin, Edwin Thomas..they'd been threats, but not direct ones to Arthur. She was also Merlin's first enemy...and the things she'd told him at the museum..

_Many terrible things await you_...

He had to press his fist against his mouth to stop himself from screaming.

* * *

**So, what do you think? This was basically an explaining chapter-take note of Merlin's power, it will come in to the story later on. :)**

_**PS- I love reviews like I love breathing**_** c:**


	10. Chapter 10- Arthur's Dream

Chapter 9: Arthur's Dream

**Arthur's POV**

Arthur was drifting.

He was floating around in a substance that was neither liquid, solid nor gas. It swirled around him, shifting from a cobalt blue to the deepest crimson, enveloping him in a feeling of peace. Arthur had a sense of _deja vu_, like he should know where he was. It seemed oddly familiar to him, but he didn't quite know why. Oh, how he just wanted to curl up, and sleep, sleep forever. Hazy images drifted past his line of sight, memories of Camelot. All sound was muffled beneath a comforting humming noise, and Arthur felt his eyelids drooping, himself fading.

"Arthur."

A voice was calling him. Who was it? Was it Merlin? Who _was_ Merlin? All he knew was what was here.

"Arthur."

His name echoed through the abyss, a contrast to the muted sounds. He sleepily swatted away the voice as if it were a physical thing. Leave me, he thought.

"Arthur, you've got to wake up, or you'll be lost forever."

Wake up? He was awake.

"No. Open your eyes..."

Arthur realised that his eyes were, indeed, closed, but he could still see where he was. How was that possible?

"Open your eyes, Arthur."

He didn't want to. This place had lulled him into comfort, and he never wanted to leave.

"Arthur! Open your eyes!"

The voice was sharper now, the tone more demanding. With great trepidation, he forced his lids open. And he gasped.

Before him was a beautiful city. Glittering towers twisted elegantly towards the sun, which was not the usual blinding white, but a deep purple set against a golden sky, as if the sky was permanantly in sunset. The grass was a rich green, much darker than it's usual colour. Modest huts, like the ones from his time, were sprawled out on the emerald field slightly to the left of him. A few dragons roamed the sky above him, accompanied by several other winged beasts. Out of the woods next to him, where the trees were a royal blue, a herd of beautiful unicorns cantered softly. Creatures of all species walked the roads and streets, the majority being people, with abnormally pointed ears.

However, wherever Arthur looked, a cloud of mist fogged his view. Arthur tried to walk through it, but couldn't even set one foot inside it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shift this wall of inpenetrable air.

"Hello, Arthur."

The voice sounded a lot closer now, Arthur registered.

"That's because I am closer."

Are you reading my mind? Arthur thought angrily.

"No, your thoughts are being projected very intensly though. It's remarkable, the velocity of them. I'm coming."

He's coming? Arthur squinted through the mist, and saw a figure walking towards him, slowly taking shape. Then the figure emerged fully from the miat. He had a mop of curly hair, light blue-green eyes and a face that had not yet lost it's boyish roundness. He smiled at Arthur, his eyes crinkling up happily. Arthur sought inside of him, because he knew he should be consumed with hatred at the sight of this boy, but only felt satisfaction, for some reason.

"Hello, Mordred."

**Merlin's POV**

Merlin woke up to hearing Arthur muttering loudly upstairs. Groaning, he tried to block out the noise, but Arthur spoke louder still. Who knew that Arthur Pendragon spoke in his sleep? Suddenly, Arthur shouted, albeit slurred; "MERLIN!"

"Gah!" Merlin sat bolt upright and grabbed his watch from the floor. Twenty past six in the morning. He swung his legs out of bed. "For God's sake" he mumbled to himself, and scratched his head, his eyes still half closed. Hauling himself up, he fumbled along the wall until he found the lightswitch and turned it on, cringing away at the sudden harsh brightness.

Merlin took in the scene in front of him. Clothes were strewn haphazardly across the floor, along with several blankets and what seemed to be the remains of a few broken plates. Merlin sighed. Huh. He'd gotten used to waking up to a clean room, his magic having not wreaked havoc in the night. He smiled reminiscently, remembering when Gaius first found his room in a complete state, thanks to his magic. He sighed again and looked at each of the objects in turn, feeling a burn behind his eyes as the shirts soared back to the wicker chair or the washing basket in the kitchen, the plates to deposit themselves in the bin and the blankets to fold themselves neatly on the settee. Merlin smiled contentedly at his handiwork.

Upstairs, Merlin heard Arthur start up his incessant muttering again, so he rubbed his eyes wearily and opened the door, flicking the hall and landing lights on. Walking up the stairs, he listened to the sound of the wind whistling and howling outside, and pitied the poor souls that had to be out there.

Merlin reached Arthur's (or his?) room and walked in. Arthur was flat on his bad in the middle of the bed, the covers kicked off him, and hisd head was frantically twisting from side to side, muttering his lungs out. Merlin cleared his throat, hoping the sound would disrupt Arthur's slumber and cause him to shut up. However, Arthur's eyeballs started rolling madly beneath their lids. Merlin guessed he was having a bad dream and decided to wake him up. He strode over to where he lay and leaned over him.

"Arthur, wake up!"

**Arthur's POV**

Mordred smiled. "I see you have finally risen"

"Where am I?" Arthur asked, gesturing to the scene. Mordred's smile faded slightly, and what was left of it turned wry. "Let's just say it's Hell to be here."

"Hell?" Arthur repeated, confused. "But..are you sure?"

"Don't be decieved by looks, Arthur. They have fooled many others before you. Do not be one to fall for their traps," Mordred said gravely.

"Right..and, er-how are you?" Arthur asked, uncomfortable. He was looking into the face of the boy he killed, after all.

"Arthur, we don't have much time. In answer to your question about the mist, it's called Dust, you can't get through because your not, well-dead."

"Right." Arthur said again, eyeing the Dust warily, as if it might engulf him. Mordred strode forwards and went to put his arms on Arthur's shoulders, but his arms passed right through him. "Never mind, then. Listen, as soon as you get out of here, grab Merlin and run. Fire is coming."

"Fire?" Arthur echoed.

"Yes, fire," Mordred said, a little impatiently. "Look for the sorcerer prince, he'll help you find the Fates and Empaths-they're vitally important."

"Wha-? Sorcerer prince? Empaths? What are you on about?" Arthur cried. Mordred wrung his hands wretchedly.

"I can't tell you anything else, not now. Trust me, if I could tell you everything I know, I would-but I can't. I know this is going to make no sense right now, and I'm sorry. Also, you'll meet a girl, she'll tell you lots, she'll know more and can help you. She's also vitally important, don't kill her." Mordred was rushing now, panic in his eyes. The sound of someone clearing their throat echoed behing them.

"Arthur, you've got to go now-"

"What? You can't just leave me with this!" Arthur cried, incrudelous.

"Tell Merlin everything I've told you-he'll know what to do. Arthur, I'm sorry, for my betrayal, for everything I did-"

Footsteps cut him off.

"Arthur, you really have to go, or you'll be trapped here forever. And for God's sake, don't forget-"

"ARTHUR, wake up!" A voice shattered Arthur's dream. It fragmented like a kaleidoscope, and the ground cracked beneath Arthur. Mordred's face was one of utter terror, and he started to fade away. "Forget what?" Arthur screamed at his rapidly fading image. "What musn't I forget?"

The ground gave away completely and Arthur tumbled into a void, his hands grasping uselessly at the blackness. The hole was never ending, and it stank of hatred and screams of the tortured echoed through it. Arthur heard himself shouting Mordred's name. Broken images of the strangest things flew past him. For a brief period, a pair of eyeballs and toothless mouth followed him, before spinning off into abyss. A woman with three heads hanging up shrunken heads on a washing line. A hound as big as night, snapping and growling at a screaming pair of children. A man with a metal contraption for a head, tears streaking the otherwise emotionless face. There were occasional flashes of colour and some manic laughter haunted Arthur.

This has to be a dream, Arthur thought. That's right. I'll open my eyes and I'll be back in my bed. He decided to put this theory into practice. He squeezed his eyes shut, shutting himslef away from the horror before him. All he could feel now was the wind rushing through his hair and the empty blackness enveloping him. It really was folding him in, pressing his chest as if a ton of rock were set on top of him, pushing his eyeballs into the back of his head, and it was like his bones were turning to liquid, he was going to die from this, he knew it-and his eyes snapped open.

The bones in his spine juddered, and Arthur greedily dragged in gulp after gulp of air. Beads of sweat were standing out on his forehead, and his eyes struggled to focus on something. As soon as his vision cleared, he saw Merlin's worried face looming above him.

Merlin smiled, obviously relieved. However, his expression turned to one of shock as Arthur sat up and punched him on the arm. Not gently, either. "Merlin!" he yelled angrily. Then he remembered the-should he call it a dream?-that he'd just had, and horrific realisation dawned.

"Oh-Merlin, we've got to get out-" Arthur swung his legs out of bed. "Fire is coming-"

"Arthur, you're not making any sense!" Merlin scolded. "Sit down and explain. Calmly."

"Merlin, you don't understand!"

"Too right I don't" Merlin scowled.

"Mordred said-"

"Mordred?" Merlin said, brow wrinkled in confusion. "I don't understand."

Arthur took a deep breath. "Mordred came to me in a...dream. He said I should grab you and get out, because fire is coming."

"Where were you?" Merlin asked, his eyes now sparkling.

"He said it was like Hell-" he broke off at Merlin's sharp intake of breath. "What?" he frowned.

"Never mind." Merlin waved. "Anything else?"

"Yes-we should find the sorcerer prince, Fates and Empaths." Merlin's nostrils flared. "And I had to remember to take something before we fled."

"What was that?" Merlin said, for some reason through gritted teeth.

"I don't know. _You_ woke me up before he could say" Arthur replied with an accusatory glare. Merlin sat heavily on the end of the bed, but Arthur hauled him up again. "We don't have time for that! We've got to go!"

And that was when the first fireball rocked the house.


End file.
